Gunmen have again attacked a commercial bus operated by Benue Links Nigeria Limited, the Benue State Government–owned transport company, leaving three passengers with gunshot injuries in Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State.
The attack occurred on Saturday evening at about 7:00 pm at the Burnt Bricks area of Otukpo, when the Benue Links bus was travelling from Gboko to Otukpo, en route to Lagos, according to company officials.
Eyewitness accounts and company statements revealed that the assailants intercepted the vehicle a few kilometres outside Otukpo town and opened fire indiscriminately, causing panic among passengers and forcing the vehicle to a halt.
Confirming the incident, the Information Officer of Benue Links Nigeria Limited, Johnson Ehi Daniel, said the affected vehicle, with registration number PP974, came under attack while conveying passengers on a routine commercial trip.
As a result of the shooting, three passengers sustained gunshot wounds and were immediately evacuated to the Federal University of Health Sciences Teaching Hospital, Otukpo, for urgent medical attention.
Hospital sources and company officials confirmed that the injured passengers are currently receiving treatment and responding positively, adding that no fatalities were recorded in the attack.
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The management of Benue Links expressed deep concern over the incident and assured the public that the company would take full responsibility for the medical care and welfare of the injured passengers until their recovery.
Following the attack, the General Manager of Benue Links, Alexander Aondohemba Fanafa, alongside other senior management staff, visited the victims at the hospital and later proceeded to the Otukpo Police Station to engage security agencies on the incident.
Fanafa also addressed drivers at the Otukpo Motor Park, reiterating the company’s strict ban on night journeys, warning that any driver found violating operational safety rules would face disciplinary action.
The latest attack has heightened concerns over the worsening security situation on highways in Benue State, particularly along routes frequently used by commercial transport operators and long-distance travellers.
As of the time of filing this report, the Benue State Police Command had not issued an official statement, but security sources confirmed that investigations are ongoing to identify and apprehend those responsible for the attack.
